Amazon and UPS ramp up hiring for holiday shopping blitz

Amazon and UPS on Tuesday said they are boosting hiring as pressure mounts for them to deliver with the pandemic fueling an online shopping surge this holiday season.

E-commerce colossus Amazon announced it is creating more than 100,000 jobs in operations such as packing and delivering orders for its "peak season."

The jobs provide opportunities for people to earn extra money in the months ahead and a chance to explore long-term opportunities with the company, according to Amazon.

Positions include managing employees, operating robots, and monitoring safety at facilities, the company say.

US shipping giant UPS expects to sign-up at least 50,000 seasonal workers at virtual job fairs on Friday.

UPS planned to hire thousands of workers "on the spot" as part of a goal announced recently to bring on more than 100,000 seasonal employees to help handle the holiday season load.

"For tens of thousands of Americans, it's an opportunity to land one of the country's best seasonal jobs, with the potential to turn into a career," said UPS chief human resource officer Charlene Thomas.

"Many of those who attend one of our job fairs this Friday will be hired by Monday, and many of those hired will be offered permanent jobs when the holidays are over."

© 2020 AFP